Tags

Have to start off this day with the sentiment I heard from the table of 10 folks at a table near me during my 10 a.m. Saturday brunch as they clinked 10 early-morning shots together on the patio of Keystone Bar & Grill. Then proceeded to do so three more times in the next hour.

"To the troops."

Indeed. They fought so you have the freedom to take shots while breakfast is served. Or something like that. Regardless, we're all in debt in our own way. Thanks to all veterans and current servicemen.

Now, on to football, which commences -- sort of -- this week on the river. The Bengals first official OTA will take place from Tuesday-Thursday. They've been working on things together the last month but now can break down into 11-on-11 and other variations of it.

I'll have a list of storylines to watch in Tuesday's paper/online.

As for now, the good news is the ease with which the stream of draft picks are signing on the dotted line (though, I actually have no confirmation the lines are still, in fact, dotted on these contracts. I'll ask the front office the first chance I get because I know you're wondering).

Only three remain going by the official confirmation of the team, but RB Jeremy Hill tweeted Sunday he has signed his deal. Should see that become official soon.

Just inked my deal with the Bengals #WhoDeyNation gonna be a great season

The new CBA has been great for a number of reasons, but eliminating the ridiculous contract squabbling of draft picks leading up to training camp and subsequent holdouts has been fantastic. It's an easy process and almost not even news as the list comes out one at a time. Just know ideally the team hopes to have all nine picks signed when they take the field Tuesday. Dennard will be the most challenging of the nine, obviously, but the first-round picks are beginning to roll in around the league. Most notably, Kansas City at the slot in front of the Bengals has inked Dee Ford to set the contract point even clearer.

At the time of writing this nine first-round picks are under contract. We will see if Dennard joins them this week.

Thanks for question. I'll let this serve as a PSA to all readers/viewers/listeners, just because some national talking head says something on a podcast and then it gets tweeted out in controversial quote form doesn't make it true or even relevant. In this case, neither.

The quote was "I could see them playing another quarterback in Cincinnati real soon." OK, who might that be? And is there anything other than headline grabbing involved in saying such a thing? I could see myself hammering five cinnamon rolls for breakfast, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen.

If there is real news, development in the Dalton camp, you'll know from a number of reputable sources. Anything between now and then is just throwing words against the wall and hoping it draws clicks. (Oh wait, are we all doing that these days?)

Great read from Doc on the awful state of US Bank Arena us sports nerds have been talking about for years. And yes, that port-a-potty description is accurate. I might have even gone heavier on the darkness, dinginess and length of the creepy hallway.

Browns: Manziel. TMZ. Champagne Shower. Vegas. Just as you would have expected. As Zac Jackson at FSO writes, he can do what he wants but the timing here isn't great.

RANDOMNESS

Myself and C. Trent could bicker all day about this, but I like Phish and think the stereotype you have to be a stoner to enjoy their music is false. Maybe the two of us could settle the argument by taking this class on Phish they now offer at Oregon State.

Germans try to say the word squirrel. They struggle. In their defense, I need to double-check the spelling every time I write it.